The Ram and His Lion
by Newtons1Law
Summary: About three things that Baltimore Swan was absolutely positive. First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was a part of him, and Baltimore didn't know how potent that part might be, that thirsted for his blood. And third, he was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him, his lion. (Guy!Bella, A Ram is a male lamb, this is how the series would've gone if Bella was a guy.)
1. The Ram

_Baltimore Swan, never gave much thought as to how he would die. _

_He'd had reason enough to think about it, in the last few months of his life, but even if he had, he could never have imagined it to be as frightening as it was. Death was supposed to be peaceful, right? It wasn't. It was sickening as blue eyes, bright and afraid, met the dark eyes of a hunter on the prowl. He couldn't bring himself to breathe. Even as the hunter in question, looked pleasantly back at him. But surely it was a good way to die, the way that fate had ultimately chosen for him. To die in the place of someone he had loved so much more than life itself. It was noble. That ought to count for something. Even in the messed up world that they were somehow living in. _

_He knew that if he'd never gone to Forks, he wouldn't be facing death. Not then. He would've faced death later, as an old man surrounded by loving children and grandchildren. Instead, there he was, seventeen years old and too young to even think about death. But then, terrified as he was, he couldn't bring himself to regret the decision to come to Forks. Life had offered him a dream, so far beyond any of his expectations, that it felt almost wrong to grieve as he watched it come to an end. Baltimore smiled a crooked smile as he looked at the hunter, who smiled himself in a friendly way as he sauntered forwards to end Baltimore's life. _

_There was a feral scream and then silence. He would've preferred death over what happened next. _

-TimeSkip-

His mother drove him to the airport with the windows rolled down. It was seventy-five degrees in Phoenix, his home town, and the sky was shining above them as cloudless blue as ever. He had pulled on his favorite shirt that morning, a red polo with a white number eight sewn onto the breast pocket. It was his grand farewell gesture, his carry-on was his letterman jacket. It was frayed at the edges and was so covered in patches that it was difficult to see the navy blue fabric underneath. That was the difficulty of playing so many sports, there was never enough room on school jackets. But he was putting his wild, erratic school-jock days behind him as his lovely, scatter-brained mother headed to the airport with him in tow. He was going to the Olympic Peninsula of northwest Washington state, more specifically the small town of Forks. A place that existed under a near-constant cloud cover. It rained more in that puny town than anywhere else in the Continental United States. It was from that gloomy, water-logged town that his mother had escaped with him when he was just a few months old. It was the same town that he'd been obligated to spend a month at, each summer until he turned fourteen. After that, it was his father that came to visit him in Arizona instead of the other way around.

Charlie, his dad, actually wasn't that bad of a guy. In fact, he was part of the reason that Baltimore was exiling himself to Forks in the first place. Even though he practically loathed the town more than he could comprehend. It wasn't that Forks was so bad by itself, it was just that he loved Phoenix. The blistering heat, the sun and the vigorous, sprawling city. It was his home and it hurt to be leaving it.

"Baltie, sweetheart, you don't have to do this."

Ah, that idiotic pet-name and his lovable, harebrained mother. She looked a lot like him despite the fact that her hair was a different shade and she was a different gender. She just looked so innocent and alone that he felt a pang of worry, leaving her all alone like he was. But then again, she had Phil. So the bills would probably get paid, there'd be gas in her car, food in the fridge and somebody to call if she ever got lost. But he still worried for her, it was all he'd ever known. He'd always been the adult in his house and it felt strange to be giving up the position. He forced a smile to his features, trying to reassure her.

"Mom, I want to go."

He was lying. He'd always been a bad liar, but he'd been telling himself that same lie so frequently that he was getting better at telling it. He just wanted his Mom to be happy, he didn't want her to sacrifice anymore for him. She gave up her plans to travel the world, have a happy marriage and be free, all because of him. The unexpected present that unprotected sex had procured for her carefree spirit. Baltimore pulled his mother into a tight hug, burying his chin in her soft hair. She was short, shorter than him even though he was way below average height for a boy his age. He was petite like a girl, but with lean muscles. He always had been. He waved one last time to his mother as he got on the plane, but then they took off and she was gone.

It was a four-hour flight from Phoenix to Seattle, another hour in a small plane up to Port Angeles, then an hour drive down to Forks. It wasn't the flying that bothered him, it was the hour long car-ride with Charlie that he was dreading. His Dad had been pretty cool about the whole idea of Baltimore moving down to stay with him. He was genuinely pleased by the thought of spending time with his wayward son. The Police Chief already gotten him registered for high school and was putting away money for a car. But it was the awkwardness that he was dreading. Neither Swan men were very talkative and there was nothing to really say between them. He was still trying to come to grips with the fact that Baltimore wanted to move in with him and that his young son was gay. Charlie had been sportive of him regardless of his 'preferences' and seemed to take his homosexuality whole-heartedly. It was moving in with him that was really confusing as Baltimore and his mother before him had no qualms about expressing their dislike for Forks.

When the plane landed in Port Angeles, it was pouring down buckets. He didn't see it as a bad omen or anything, he'd said goodbye to the sun long ago. Charlie was waiting for him with the cruiser. The police cruiser. His primary motivation behind buying his own car, despite the dislike of taking money from Charlie, was that he refused to be driven around town in a car with red and blue lights on top. Nothing would slow down traffic like a cop. Once Baltimore reached his father, he became the next victim of an extremely awkward one-armed hug. A guy hug, plain and simple.

"Nice to see you, Balt. You haven't changed a bit, how's Renée?"

Another completely unneeded nickname for the books. Baltimore smiled awkwardly as he helped pack his suitcase and backpack into the trunk of Charlie's cruiser. Most of his stuff was sports oriented, a lot like his life. It consisted of several pairs of jeans, a couple hoodies, a few jerseys and a ton of team shirts. It all easily fit into Charlie's trunk.

"Mom's fine, it's great to see you too Dad."

"I found a good car for you, real cheap."

Charlie went on to explain that he'd bought a Chevy Truck off his friend Billy Black, a guy who lived at the Indian Reservation in La Push. He'd recently been confined to a wheelchair and hadn't needed his car anymore, that's why Charlie had gotten it for him. It was a home-coming present and Baltimore had genuinely thanked him, it was rare that Charlie or Baltimore for that matter, expressed their feelings to each other. Both were blushing insanely and wouldn't meet each others eyes. So Baltimore stared out the window in silence. Everything was green, the trees, their trunks, the ground, everything. It made his stomach churn. Eventually they made it to Charlie's, he still lived in the two-bedroom house that he and Baltimore's mother had bought in the early days of their marriage. It was where he saw his truck, parked outside. It was a faded red, and chipped but he loved it from first sight. He ended up thanking Charlie quite loudly and surprising himself as he threw his arms around the much taller and older man.

"Glad you like it, Balt."

It only took one trip to get everything packed away into Baltimore's room. Charlie left him alone after that, staring at the rocking chair in the corner that had been there since he was a baby. The room was filled with race-cars, pictures of fire trucks, police cars, robbers with guns and other make believe weapons. It was the room of a little boy. Not a teenager. He ended up spending the rest of the night tearing down childlike art and replacing it with CDs, band posters and normal stuff for a guy his age. He wasn't a toddler anymore.

-TimeSkip-

Forks High School had a frightening total of only three hundred and fifty-seven kids, while back in Phoenix, the junior class alone had at least seven hundred. All of the kids in Forks had grown up together, their parents' parents had probably grown up together. He would be ostracized, a freak. Usually, it wouldn't have bothered him what other people thought, but he didn't have sports to hide behind now, everybody could see him. It wouldn't be that bad if he looked like a normal Phoenix boy, but no. He was muscled yes, but oddly small and petite. His hair was far from the sun-kissed tones of a surfer boy, it was jet-black and wavy. He didn't have the healthy shining skin either, he was ivory-skinned with light freckles dusting his cheeks and the bridge of his nose. The only Phoenix boy thing about him were his eyes, a deep watery blue color that he'd inherited from his Mom. Other than that, there was nothing to tie him to his hometown and it irked him. He threw on an old baseball t-shirt, some jeans and his letterman before clomping down the stairs and grabbing an apple as way of breakfast. He didn't want to be too early to school, but maybe he could sign up for some sports teams while he was there.

It was drizzling still, but it didn't bother him near as much as the sloshing of his waterproof boots on the waterlogged ground. He missed the familiar crunch of gravel on the soles of his shoes. He basically sprinted to his truck and threw himself inside. At least in there it was nice and dry. Either Billy or Charlie had cleaned it out, but it still smelled faintly of tobacco, gasoline and peppermint. Whatever, at least it ran well enough.

Finding the school wasn't hard even though he'd never been there before. It was a tiny school in a tiny town, of course it would be just off the highway. Sure it wasn't generally obvious that it was a school, only a grown-over sign. But it was better than nothing and it gave him a place to go. He ended up parking in front of the 'Front Office'. He wasn't sure that it was allowed, but at least he wouldn't be circling around in the rain like an idiot. He unwillingly climbed out of his toasty truck cab and hurried down the little stone path in front of the school. Inside, it was brightly lit and warm. There were plants everywhere in the small room and it made him claustrophobic. It was too green. It was full of papers and multicolored flyers, but before he could go scavenging for a sports team, the lady at the front desk cleared her throat loudly and he was forced to look at her. She was large, redheaded and wearing thick coke-bottle glasses that obscured his view of her eyes.

"Can I help you?"

"I'm Baltimore Swan."

There was instant recognition in her shielded brown eyes and it made Baltimore's stomach churn nervously. He was a topic of gossip no doubt. The long-awaited son of the Police Chief's flighty ex-wife, come home at last. It was embarrassing to say the very least. The woman nodded and dug through a precariously stacked pile of documents on her desk until she found the ones she was looking for. His schedule and a map of the school. Glorious. She was kind enough to highlight his classes for him, giving him the best routes for each on the map. Before handing him a slip that each of his teachers had to sign and he was supposed to bring back by the end of the day. She wished him the very best and told him that she hoped he'd be happy in Forks. He smiled back before heading back out to his truck. The seventeen year old was soon caught up in the throng of other students as they began to arrive, he was kind of shoveled down the traffic line and didn't bother resisting. He just picked a spot and hurried into the school, trying to avoid the stares and glances of others. He wished to god that he hadn't worn his letterman. It clearly said, "Swan" in big bold letters across the back with 'Phoenix, Arizona' emblazoned along the sleeves.

Once he'd positioned himself inside his first class, he was relieved when he saw that his skin tone didn't stand out. He took the slip up to the teacher, a tall, balding man that seemed to tower over Baltimore's petite frame. The nameplate on the teacher's desk proclaimed him to be 'Mr. Mason'. He gawked at the seventeen year old in front of him when he saw the name on the slip. It wasn't an encouraging response. He wasn't sure if it was his size, baby-face or his name that had put the teacher off. But Mr. Mason managed to compose himself enough to send Baltimore to a desk in the back, without introducing him to the class, which was a relief. Somehow, even when sitting in the back, his classmates still managed to gawk at him like fresh-meat. It was somewhat alarming. He decided to keep his eyes down and scan the reading list that had been passed to him. It was all stuff that he'd read before, Chaucer, Faulkner, Brontë, Shakespeare. So he just doodled in the margins of his notebook for most of the class. After the strangely annoying bell rang, a gangly boy with bad skin and oily black hair leaned across the aisle to talk to him. He looked like an overly friendly, chess-club guy.

"You're that new Baltimore kid right?"

"Yeah. Thanks for being the first one to actually talk to me instead of just staring. I'm really not that interesting."

Baltimore answered, a relieved smile on his lips. The chess-club guy laughed loudly as some of the more strongly staring students turned around, blushing in embarrassment. He lightly clapped Baltimore on the right shoulder as they both stood up to exit the classroom.

"No problem, man. I'm Eric by the way. Where's your next class?"

It took a quick peek at his confusing schedule to answer that one. "Uh, Government with Jefferson in Building Six." Eric smiled as they grabbed their rain jackets and headed out into the daily downpour. "I'm heading towards Building Four, I can show you the way to Jefferson. So I'm guessing this is a whole lot different from Phoenix, huh?" Baltimore stage-grimaced and wrinkled his nose.

"Very. In Phoenix it only rains three or four times a year. I'm surprised you guys don't drown up here."

"So it's sunny then? You don't seem all that tan..."

"I'm part albino."

That brought forth another laugh from Eric as he pretended to study his face apprehensively. They walked back around the cafeteria, to the south buildings by the gym. It was clearly marked so that Baltimore knew where to go. He waved vaguely at Eric with a grin. The rest of the morning passed about in the same fashion as that first class. Except that Baltimore's Trigonometry teacher, Mr. Varner, he was the only teacher who made the Phoenix-native move from his seat and stand up in front of the class. Just to introduce himself. It was as embarrassing as hell but Baltimore didn't let it show as he just straightened up and cracked a few jokes. Mostly about his tripping on the way up there. It had been a running joke on his many sports teams, how he could be so agile and coordinated on the field but so clumsy and accident-prone in everyday life. Seriously, he was so clumsy that he was almost disabled. In each class he went to, there was at least one kid braver than the others who would introduce themselves to him. One such girl was who sat next to him in both Trig and Spanish was who walked him to the lunch room.

They were the same size, which was frankly humiliating. Her fluffy dark curls were taller than him. He couldn't remember her name or why she was so close to him. He just smiled and nodded as she prattled on about teachers and classes. He didn't even try to keep up. They sat at the end of a full table with several of her friends, they were a motley crew of boys and girls. He forgot nearly all of their names as soon as she spoke them. The boy from English, Eric was there. It was there, trying to laugh and make jokes with seven curious strangers, that he first saw them.

They were sitting in the corner of the cafeteria, as far away as possible from where Baltimore sat in the long room. There were five of them. They weren't talking or eating, or even looking at him like the rest of the student body seemed to be doing that day. They looked nothing alike and yet, they did. It was frightening, there were three boys and two girls. Each beautiful as an angel in their own right. They were perfection in every ounce, they were all looking away from each other, away from everything. The thinner one, the boyish one with bronze-hair and startling eyes, looked at him for a moment before looking away and shoving the breath from Baltimore's lungs.

"Who are they?"

She knew who he meant, from the very moment that the question left his lips. "That Edward, Emmett and Alice Cullen, and Rosalie and Jasper Hale. They all live together with Dr. Cullen and his wife."

"Which ones are the Cullens? They don't look related..."

"Oh, they aren't! Dr. Cullen is really young, in his twenties or early thirties. They're all adopted. The Hales are brother and sister though, they're the blondes. They're foster kids."

"That's kind of nice. For them to take care of all those kids like that, when they're so young and everything."

The girl from Spanish shrugged and he finally remembered that her name was Jessica. Baltimore got the vibe that she didn't like the doctor and his wife all that much. For some unknown reason to him. With the rude glances that she was throwing to the adopted children, he just assumed it was jealously. As they spoke, his eyes kept gravitating towards the table where the strange family sat. They continued to look at the walls and not eat. He felt a surge of empathy and relief. Empathy because he knew what it felt like to be an outsider. Then relief because he wasn't the only newcomer in a strange town. Then he thought of that boy. The boy with the bronze hair who'd looked at him strangely. He'd had a slightly frustrated look in his eyes. It was rather unbecoming of such a beautiful face.

By the time lunch was over one of his new acquaintances, a shy girl named Angela had volunteered to walk him to Biology II. Once they entered the classroom, she went to sit at a black-topped lab table just like the ones he was used too. In fact, almost every seat was taken up except for one. He recognized Edward Cullen, by his bronze hair and the same familiar frustrated look in his onyx eyes. Of course it had to be Edward sitting next to that unoccupied seat. Baltimore tried to ignore him at first, instead heading over to introduce himself to the teacher and get his slip signed. Just as Baltimore passed him, he went rigid in his seat and began to stare at the smaller boy with the strangest expression on his face. It was hostile, furious. Baltimore turned away hurriedly, trying to get away from the older teen with his strange, angry, coal black eyes. Mr. Banner, the teacher, signed the stupid slip and handed him a book with no nonsense instructions. Of course, he had no choice but to send Baltimore to the only empty seat. The younger teen kept his eyes averted as he went to sit by Edward. Still bewildered by the antagonistic stare he'd received. The youngest male Cullen spent most of the period leaning away from Baltimore, on the extreme edge of his chair and averting his face like he smelled something bad. It was humiliating and Baltimore knew he was blushing furiously. When the bell rang, Edward Cullen was out of his seat in a flash, he rose so fluidly and exited faster than anyone else.

Baltimore took a minute to compose himself. Did the guy have a good gaydar or something? Was he treating Baltimore badly because of his sexuality? If so, couldn't he just call him a filthy faggot so they could get on with their lives? It was strange, usually homophobes wouldn't effect him. But Edward Cullen did, he was just so mean. It just wasn't fair. Baltimore shoved down his anger. It was invariably connected to his tear-ducts and he wasn't going to cry on his first day at a new school.

"Hey, you're Baltimore Swan right? I'm Mike Newton."

He looked up to see a baby-faced boy with pale, spiky blonde hair. He was smiling at Baltimore in a friendly way. At least he wasn't a homophobe. A smile broke out on the smaller boy's face as he accepted Mike's proffered hand.

"Yeah I am. It's nice to meet you."

"Do you need any help finding your next class?"

"I'm heading to gym actually..."

"Me too! We can go together. I think we're playing soccer today, do you play soccer in Phoenix?" Mike was a chatter-box, but it was nice to have somebody else doing the talking for him. He supplied most of the conversation. He'd lived in California most of his life, so he understood Baltimore's thoughts about the sun. They were in the same English class as well. He was actually pretty nice. As they entered the gym, they moved onto Edward Cullen's rudeness. Apparently, he wasn't normally like that. Something that made Baltimore feel all the worse.

Mike was right when he said that they were playing soccer in gym. Coach Clapp found him a spare uniform and asked if he wanted to be goalie. It brought a genuine smile to Baltimore lips. He'd been goalie on his own team for seven years. It felt nice to wind down by doing something he was good as for the first time that day. He didn't have to think about being at a new school, his clumsiness, or Edward Cullen's hostility. He could just play. It was glorious. By the time the final bell rang, Baltimore left the gym with paperwork to be the school's newest goalie and a chattering Mike talking non-stop. Outside, the rain had drifted and it was colder and stronger than before. When he entered the front office, Edward Cullen was talking to the lady at the front desk in a low attractive voice. He was begging her to switch his Biology II to another period. It pissed Baltimore off. Damned homophobe. Apparently it took him a while to notice the room's younger occupant, but once he did, he stiffened and began to glare at him with piercing and hate-filled eyes. That glare stayed until that head of tousled bronze hair left the office. Baltimore went meekly up to desk and handed the red haired lady his slip.

"How did your first day go dear?"

"Fine."

It was a really lousy lie and she saw right through it. But Baltimore paid it no mind as he headed out to the safe haven of his truck. He sat inside for a while just staring out the windshield, burying his face in the familiar fabric of his letterman jacket. Before finally starting the car and breathing through his gasps all the way there. He was fighting the angry tears. Damned homophobes! Stupid Forks! He just wanted to go home to Phoenix and leave this damp green hole behind in the dust.


	2. The Strange Lion

The next day that Baltimore spent in Forks High School was both better and worse.

It was better because it wasn't in 'total-downpour' mode yet, even though the looming clouds were dense and opaque above him. It was kind of easier because he knew what to expect of the day. Mike came to sit by him in English, with super-friendly Eric on his other-side. Once he had acquaintances to flank him, people didn't look at him quite as much as they did the day before. He was constantly with a big group of people the included Eric, Jessica, Mike and several others who's names he now remembered. That was how he began to feel like he was treading the water instead of drowning in it. While, it was worse because he was exhausted and because Edward Cullen wasn't in school at all. He'd spent all morning dreading lunch and his bizarre glares. Part of him wanted to march up to him and accuse him of being a jerk and a homophobe, but he was nicer than that. But he hadn't showed, even when his other siblings were already there.

Edward wasn't in Biology either, it was wonderful to have the desk to himself. But he just couldn't shake the suspicion that he, Baltimore Swan was the reason for Edward's absence. It was ridiculous that he could effect someone so strongly, but he couldn't tamper down the horrible thought that it was true. That was basically the rest of the week for him, he began to recognize more people, the stares had turned into waves of familiarity and smiles. He took over cooking duty from Charlie and he solidified his spot as goalie on the Forks Spartans Soccer Team. They ended up practicing in the rain and snow more often than not. Charlie was delighted that Baltimore seemed to be enjoying himself in the small rainy town, but the youngest Swan couldn't escape from thoughts of Edward Cullen. The youngest Cullen wasn't in school the rest of the week. Despite his anger towards the older teen, Baltimore couldn't help but be worried about him. It was the Monday of his second week in Forks that he saw Edward Cullen again. He'd walked into the lunchroom and his stomach had dropped to his knees. There were five Cullens at the lunch table instead of only four. He couldn't help but stare at the turned bronze-haired head of Edward Cullen.

"Hey Balt! What're you staring at?"

Damn you, Jessica! The moment that Edward heard Jessica's question, his eyes flashed over to meet Baltimore's. The younger teen dropped his head and turned away from the magnetic eyes of the youngest Cullen. In the few moments he'd had to stare at Edward, he'd seen that the bronze-haired teen's skin was less pale and the circles under his eyes were much less noticeable. All concern for him, abated in the wave of a relieved sigh. Jessica giggled when she saw Edward's unbreakable stare and his curious look, still painfully unsatisfied in some way.

"Balt, Edward Cullen is staring at you."

"He doesn't look angry, does he? I don't think he likes me very much, must be the stick four-yards up his ass."

Baltimore didn't look up to see Edward's reaction, but Jessica giggled girlishly and leaned against him. Close enough so that their shoulders were touching and he could smell the strawberry shampoo in her hair. She smiled at him, teeth glinting as if he were a piece of meat. It made his stomach feel queasy and he inched all the closer to Mike. Who didn't notice as he kept talking to Eric. If Jessica was bothered by his mental cringe, she didn't reveal it and simply kept on talking.

"The Cullens don't like anybody...well they don't notice anybody enough to like them. But he's still staring at you. It's getting really creepy."

So other people noticed the strange looks too. For the first time, he was glad to have a pack to walk to Biology II with. Once inside the classroom, Baltimore saw with relief that he and Edward's table was utterly empty. Mr. Banner was walking around the room and handing out microscopes and slides. Class didn't start for a few minutes and the room was buzzing with conversation. He kept his eyes away from the door, doodling idly in his notebook. He could've groaned as he heard the chair next to him, scrape on the floor and the sound of someone sitting down in it. A strange tense silence filled the air between them before, a quiet musical voice spoke.

"Hello. You must be Baltimore Swan, I didn't have a chance to introduce myself last week. I'm Edward Cullen."

Baltimore looked up, stunned that Edward was speaking to him. The Cullen in question was sitting as far away from Baltimore as the desk allowed, but his chair was angled towards the younger teen. His bronze locks were dripping wet and disheveled, but he still looked like he'd just finished shooting a hair-gel commercial. His dazzling face was friendly and open and there was a gentle smile on his flawless lips. What had happened? Last week he'd been a jerk and now he was perfectly polite. Baltimore was grasping at short straws at that moment, completely out of anything smart to say. Thankfully Mr. Banner saved him and began class. He explained that the lab they were doing was organizing mitosis stages in onion root tips, purely exciting. He assured them that he'd help them of they were going down the wrong track. "Get started." The teacher commanded.

"Prodigies first, partner?"

Edward asked and instantly Baltimore's cheeks darkened. The older teen was smiling a crooked smile so beautiful that it made the younger gape at him like an idiot. Then his eyes clouded in confusion. "Prodigy?" Then it was Edward's turn to be confused as he examined the much smaller boy, his smile fading.

"Isn't that how you started school so early?"

Ah, that was it. He thought that Baltimore was a kid. It wasn't as if it was a first time mistake either. He'd been mistaken for a child many a time, but for some reason it hurt when it came from Edward. His cheeks darkened further as he scowled at the stupid, younger Cullen.

"I'm seventeen."

He growled, bringing surprised shock to Edward's eyes. The beautiful teen started to apologize but Baltimore cut him off in order to begin the lab. He snapped the first slide into place under the microscope and adjusted it quickly to the 40X objective. He studied the slide briefly, before grunting out, "Prophase." Edward quietly asked to check as Baltimore began to remove the slide. His ice-cold fingers caught those of his younger partner and it took Baltimore's breath away. He ripped them away quickly, it felt as if an electric current had just shot through his fingers, they ached and stung. The older teen apologized once again as he examined the slide that Baltimore had just abandoned. He agreed with the younger teen's assessment, before writing it neatly in the first space on their worksheet. He swiftly switched out the first slide for the second, before glancing at it curiously. He murmured under his breath.

"Anaphase."

"May I?"

Baltimore asked, keeping his voice indifferent as Edward pushed the microscope towards him. He looked through the eyepiece eagerly, desperate to call out the older teen on being wrong. He was soon disappointed. Edward was right. Baltimore asked for the next slide, holding out his hand without looking at the older teen. Edward handed it to him gingerly as if trying not to touch the younger teen's skin again. Baltimore took the most fleeting look at the slide that he could manage before grunting out, "Interphase." The younger teen passed Edward the microscope before he could ask. He didn't even bother to look before writing it down. They were finished far before anyone else, so it didn't take long before Mr. Banner came to check there work. He looked over their shoulders to examine the completed lab, and then stared more intently to check the answers.

"Edward, didn't you think that Baltimore should've had a chance with the microscope?"

"Actually, he identified three of the five."

"Were you in an advanced placement program in Phoenix?"

The teacher's intense gaze had turned to Baltimore and he nodded soundlessly by way of answering. He left the pair alone after that. They were wrapped up in a tense silence after than, only broken by Edward's attempt at small talk. "Why did you leave Phoenix?"

"It's...complicated."

"I think I can keep up."

Edward grinned at Baltimore's attempt at being confusing. The younger teen paused for a moment, before making the mistake of meeting his concerned gaze. The older teen's dark gold eyes inherently forced him into telling the truth, something that he himself didn't really understand. He did try to lie, but instead answered truthfully.

"My Mom got remarried."

"That doesn't sound too complex. When did it happen? Do you not like the guy?" Edward's voice had taken on a sympathetic tone, with strange undertones that Baltimore couldn't identify. The younger teen blushed as Edward got the wrong idea, he was practically shaking his hands in the air, the flat palm in the position of the the universal 'stop' sign. "No! No, Phil is fine. He's great actually, he loves her, he accepts me. He's not homophobic and I think he cares about us."

"Homophobic? Why...?"

Damn inability to lie to Edward, now he really was going to laugh and call him a faggot. Just like all of his guy friends at his old school. He had to stifle the urge to groan and melt into a puddle of shame on the lab floor. His cheeks turned a deep scarlet and he tried to think of a way to bluff himself out of the deep, dark hole he'd just created. Edward was staring at him with deep honey-colored eyes, filled with concern and maybe even a bit of empathy. Suddenly, he began to laugh. It would be better if he just made fun of himself and they got in with their lives, Edward wasn't that important to him. He'd just met the guy anyway.

"Yeah I'm a faggot, gay as a rainbow-shitting unicorn! There's nothing you can call me that I haven't been called before."

"Don't call yourself that."

"Huh?"

Baltimore had been expecting scorn, teases, homophobic comments. He'd just explained his life to this bizarre and beautiful boy and he'd come-out to him just seconds after meeting him. He was in disbelief that Edward hadn't yet said anything rude. In fact, the older teen was leaning away from him, his hands gripping the corner of the black-topped lab table with white-knuckled and unmistakeable tension, with unmistakeable anger as his eyes met Baltimore's.

"Faggot is a rude and crass thing to call yourself. You, Baltimore Swan, are not a faggot."

Baltimore blushed furiously and turned away, praising God that the bell rang when it did. Then he could go to Gym, be their goalie and forget all about Edward Cullen and his kind, non-homophobic answers. The rain was just a mist outside when he finally had a chance to go home and walk to the parking lot, but he was happier when he was inside the dry cab of his truck. He got the heater running and for one, he didn't care about the mind-numbing roar of the engine. He unzipped his jacket, put the hood down and shook out his damp hair so the heater could dry it on the drive home. He looked around him to make sure that it was clear. That was when he noticed the still, white figure. Edward Cullen was leaning against his Volvo, three cars down from him, but staring intently in his direction. Baltimore swiftly looked away and threw the truck in reverse, nearly hitting another car as he did so. He took a deep breath, still looking out the other side of his car and cautiously pulled out with greater success. He stared straight ahead as he passed Edward's Volvo, but he could still see Edward laughing out of his peripheral vision.

-TimeSkip-

Snow was the bane of every clumsy person's life and true to Baltimore's luck. It was covering Forks the moment he woke up the next morning. It took every ounce of his concentration to make it down the icy brick driveway alive. He almost lost his balance when he finally got to the truck, but managed to snag his side-mirror to save himself. Clearly it was going to be a nightmarish day. Surprising, driving to school was much easier than he'd thought. His truck seemed to have no problem with the black ice that covered the roads. He drove carefully though, not wanting to carve a path of destruction through Main Street. When he checked his tires at school, he learned why he'd had so little trouble. There were thin chains crisscrossing in diamond shapes around them. Charlie had gotten up God knows how early to put snow chains on his truck. A surprised welling of emotion grew in his chest and his throat felt tight.

Oh Charlie.

He was standing by the back corner of his truck, trying to keep his balance, when he heard an odd sound. It was a high-pitched screech and it was on its way to becoming painful loud. He looked up, startled. He saw several things simultaneously. Nothing was moving in slow motion, instead everything was going all the faster and he saw several things at once.

Edward Cullen was standing four cars down from him, staring at him in horror. His face stood out from a sea of faces, all of which had the same expression of shock and terror. That was when Baltimore saw the dark blue van that was skidding, tires locked and squealing against the brakes, spinning wildly along the ice of the parking lot. It was going to hit the back corner of his truck and Baltimore was standing between them. He didn't even have a chance to close his eyes. Just before he heard the sound of his bones shattering against the truck bed, something hit him hard, but not from the direction that he'd been expecting. His ankle gyrated sickening under him as he hit the ground, and his skull slammed against the dark pavement. He could taste blood in his mouth. Something heavy, cold and solid was pinning him to the freezing ground. He was lying on the pavement next to the car he'd parked next too. But he didn't have a chance to move because the van was still coming, it was about to collide again.

A low snarl was the only thing that made Baltimore aware that there was someone else there. He could smell the rusty and salty scent of blood. He caught a hazy glance of bronze hair that was impossible to not recognize. Two long white hands shot out and pulled his uninjured leg out of the way before the van crushed again. A white arm created a dent in the side of the van. A groaning sound as the van settled, glass popping as the van landed back on the asphalt. It was absolutely silent for a second before the screaming began. It was practically bedlam. He could hear more than one person calling his name. But more clearly than all that, he could hear Edward's concerned voice. Edward...oh God, had he been hurt?! Baltimore's hazy blue eyes shot open and focused on the pale bronze haired teen in front of him.

"Baltimore, are you alright?!"

"I'm fine. Oh God, are you alright?"

Baltimore's eyes scanned Edward, for any signs of blood or injury. He was alarmed at the very though of anything hurting Edward. Not Edward. The bronze-haired teen seemed to be taken aback by Baltimore's concern.

"I'm fine, but you aren't. You hit your head pretty hard and you're bleeding. Stay down, okay?"

Baltimore grunted in response, his whole body was one big ache. But he swallowed hard and tried to sit up, Edward helped and allowed him to lean against his truck. Then they found them. A crowd of concerned teachers and students with tears streaming down their faces. They were shouting at them, and shouting at each other. Baltimore must have looked horrifying. Blood dripping from his mouth and head, pale as a ghost. Heck, he was even paler than Edward. There was a flurry of activity. Concerned cries from students and teachers that he barely knew. He complained of the cold to Edward. The older teen chuckled under his breath. Then the younger teen realized something.

"How did you get over here so fast, you were by your car."

"No I wasn't. I was next to you." Edward's expression turned hard, but Baltimore refused to be pushed around. "No you weren't. Just explain it to me later okay? My head's killing me." Edward just nodded in response as he made to help the younger boy to his feet. Coach Clapp, Mr. Varner and six EMTs were trying the pry the van away so they could get the stretchers in. The moment that Baltimore put weight on his injured leg, he cried out in pain and would've collapsed if it hadn't been for Edward's rock solid arms that caught him and swept him up into a bridal carry. There were hot tears in the younger teen's eyes and he whimpered as both he and Edward looked at his deformed and obviously broken ankle. His foot was hanging off his leg for Pete's sake! Baltimore looked at Edward with frightened eyes, but a reassuring smile as he whimpered out a small.

"Ow."

There was something shining in Edward's eyes as they finally got the stretchers in. Edward refused his as he laid Baltimore on the other. But not before the entire student body caught sight of his limp body in Edward's arms. The EMTs strapped him to a backboard, putting on a neck brace as they strapped down his injured leg. The entire school seemed to be watching somberly as they loaded him in the ambulance. How humiliating. To make matters worse, Chief Swan arrived before they could get him safety away.

"Baltimore!"

He yelled, his eyes wide in panic as he recognized the bloody form of his son of the stretcher. His son tried to reassure him that he was fine, which was nearly impossible when his leg looked ghastly, his mouth was dripping blood, his teeth were stained crimson, and his head was still pouring droplets of blood.

How wonderful.


End file.
